Golf: Woods five shots behind in Florida

TORONTO - American golfer Hunter Haas fired a flawless nine-under-par 63 to grab the first-round lead in the Funai Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida today.

World No 1 Tiger Woods, twice a winner of the event, was five strokes off the pace on 68.

Haas, one of several players battling to make the top 125 on the PGA Tour money-list to secure his card for next season, made birdies on five of his opening seven holes.

He finished one shot clear of compatriots Mark Calcavecchia, Steve Lowery, Ryan Moore, JJ Henry, Pat Perez and Australia's Geoff Ogilvy.

The top seven all played at the Palm Course, the easier of the two layouts being used at the US$4.4 million ($6.4 million) tournament.

- REUTERS